The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Season begins again and there are a whole lot changes happening. (Maybe I should say, “whole lotta Changes goin’ on!!!”) From the way they inspect the cars, to the new Chevy Camaros on the Chevy side of things, the new season begins, and it remains to be seen just how the changes will affect it.

Another thing this “old guy” NASCAR fan has taken notice of is how it seems the younger drivers are taking over the driver seats and there are fewer and fewer older drivers around these days. Tony Stewart retired last year, (by choice), Matt Kenseth was given his walking papers at the end of the 2017 season and, of course, Dale Jr. is retired and moving into a broadcast position with NBC Sports. Yeah, I know he has a few races he’s going to take part in, but as far as regular Cup competition, he is not there any longer. Gee, is there someone I missed…? As fast as things change lately, I may have…

Driver changes aren’t the only things going on either. There have been new rules for the cars, ride heights and the number of crew members over the wall on pit roads and the way they inspect the cars. Some of the rules even limit what certain of those crews can do while they are over the wall. I won’t go into these in any depth simply because there has been a plethora of talk about them by just about everyone that generally talks about NASCAR (and, yes, even some that don’t generally talk about it.) In fact, from this fan’s view, there has been a lot of talk about everything related to NASCAR and especially in the last two weeks. (Hey, no surprise there… It’s Daytona!!)

Like every other NASCAR fan I know, I watched The Clash last weekend just to see how some of the new rules and different type cars might affect the racing. The first thing I noticed was how low the cars were riding with the new no ride height rule. They definitely got the backend of the cars down and they looked like they were going to be dragging the ground. It will be interesting to see how that works throughout the rest of the season, especially where it is important for down force. From this fan’s view, the Clash was just a little bit boring to this fan, but then again, they usually are considering how few cars are on the track. From my view, more cars makes for more fun and excitement.

Of course the next part of Daytona was the Dual races on Thursday night. Even more things came to light revealing more of how some of the new rules were going to affect the racing in the restrictor plate controlled drafting, whether we talk about pit stops or how the cars handle. I will be watching the 500 with a little more interest than I might have since we saw how taking the air off the spoiler and the left rear can cause a car to spin. I don’t pretend to know what they will be thinking but from what I observed and with the full field involved in the draft, it could get pretty hairy at times.

This isn’t the first time we have seen or heard of this and we have witnessed it in some fashion in the past. From this fan’s view, that one renewed and enhanced result of a rule change just might be the likely cause of having the “Big One” or several of them. I will also be watching to see if someone uses this new aero aspect to move someone out of the way without touching them. I’m sure they’re all thinking about it and they’re thinking about it from both sides – when they have someone closing the gap on them and pulling inside of their left rear quarter panel and when they are closing on someone and having to do the same thing. If nothing else, it should prove to be interesting.

What I hope to see on Sunday afternoon is a good race with lots of excitement, tension and drama. What I really hope doesn’t happen is a lot of boring, single file racing, lap after lap until it comes down to the last fifty laps or so. That just makes the middle of the race extremely dull, at lest from this fan’s view.

So here’s to hoping we see all of them, Chevys, Fords and Toyotas mixing it up all race long and not just one of the makes dominating the day. I’m not picking a winner but I would like to see the new Chevy Camaros be a part of the equation when it comes down to those final few laps and, honestly, if there has to be a “Big One”, let it be injury free.

Okay… another NASCAR Cup series season is in the books and, from this fan’s view, it has definitely been an interesting year. First of all, let me add my voice to the many in offering my congratulations to Martin Truex Jr. on his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship. There is no denying he deserved it and he definitely worked for it fending off a late race charge by Kyle Bush. Although he was the favorite of many to win the Championship there was no guarantee he would until he passed under the black and white checkered flag ending the Ford Ecoboost 400. Once again this season, the 2017 Champion had to win the race to win the Championship.

Considering the many changes to the format at the beginning of the season, it seems this format with its stage racing and the points doled out the way they were, fit the #78 team and Martin Truex Jr.’s style. Well, that and the fact that he won a bunch of the mile and a half races this season. He and his team definitely excelled in this format as well as the Joe Gibbs Toyotas on the season. Truly, they were a force to be reckoned with most of the season.

I have to admit I was not an immediate fan of the stage racing and chose to wait to make a decision about it until there were a few races in the books. Over the first part of the season I became a fan and it did do exactly what NASCAR, in its infinite wisdom, wanted it to do. It made the races more interesting because there was a reason for the drivers and teams to race hard for much more of the race than just the beginning and the end. Long before mid-season I was definitely a fan of the stage racing and once again had to admit NASCAR and the teams knew how to make things better. I’m not saying it was perfect, but it was a pleasant and refreshing addition to the sport.

There did seem to be a definite advantage for the Toyotas over the Chevys and Fords but I’m not sure whether it was because of an advantage toward the brand or just because the other teams were behind in discovering what could make them go faster. The reason for my uncertainty is because there was one Chevy that consistently ran good almost every weekend. Of course that was the Chevy of Kyle Larson from the Ganassi camp. He performed extremely well all season until bad racing luck caught up to him in the playoffs. After his first engine failure since entering the Cup series, it seemed they just couldn’t gain their momentum back.

Was the reason he was running better than other Chevys because his team had discovered how to make his Chevy go faster than the others or was it simply because of the talent of the driver? I don’t really have an answer for that question even though we know he is very talented but he and Martin Truex Jr. were able to consistently use this format and the lower downforce package to their advantage. Maybe it was because this package suited their driving style better than some. I don’t know about that but both did seem to have it all come together this season even though Larson had his problems in the playoffs and didn’t advance to the championship four. They weren’t the only ones but they are the two that stand out in my mind as being fast and running near the front by the end of the races almost every weekend.

The Fords were definitely better than the Chevys most of the season and especially at the end. It seemed to this fan they were offering the only real competition to the Toyotas on a regular basis except for that Chevy of Kyle Larson. Had it not been for the Fords and Kyle Larson, it would have pretty much been a Toyota year all round, especially from the middle of the season through the playoffs.

The biggest surprise to this fan was the lackluster performance of the Hendrick Chevys. Had it not been for the #24 team of Chase Elliott we wouldn’t have heard much from them at all. Even seven time champ, Jimmie Johnson, was a non-factor even though he made it to the playoffs although not the Championship Four. After a relatively good start to the year, the #48 team never seemed to get clicking on all cylinders. As Jimmie Johnson himself said, “we were just surviving,” and he was correct. They never looked good after the first part of the year. Had it not been for the steady performance of the #24 team and Chase Elliott the Hendrick teams would have had very little to remember this season other than it was not a good one.

So as the 2017 season disappears into the rearview mirror, a lot of changes are coming as we look forward to the 2018 season. Dale Jr. is through with regular competition as a driver. He will take part in some races but will not be competing on a regular basis. He will join the commentators in the booth and a lot of people are looking forward to that. Based on previous performance in certain situations, I know he will do a good job and will also bring his fans along for that part of his ride.

Just a quick note as I close. I am disappointed that the broadcasts are being used as a way to bring people over to the network sports networks. I liked it better when the coverage was on the main networks and I didn’t have to buy extra programming just to be able watch the races when not able to attend personally. Eventually that could be the thing that really causes the viewership to drop off or I could be totally mistaken and it could be that fans don’t mind paying extra to see a race other than at the tracks themselves. For now, I will pay the price but someday in the future I may have to make a choice and I know I won’t be alone in making it.

I’m still a big NASCAR fan and a racer at heart. Though the sport is changing and the familiar faces are beginning to fade or disappear, the new crop of drivers is good but it will take time for me as a fan to have new favorite or two. I’ll miss the familiar faces but willing to watch and see how the new personalities develop. After all, I had many favorites and non-favorites over past years and I don’t expect that to change any time soon.

Four of the forty cars on the track this weekend will be the only ones actually running for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship. As for the other thirty-six, well… let’s just simplify it and say, they’re running to win the Ford Ecoboost 400. You and I both know the emphasis will be on the ones running for the Championship and not on someone leading or winning it other than the four running for the Championship. Naturally if one of the final four wins it then what I just said becomes very unimportant. If it goes the other way though, well, prepare yourself for hardly any attention being paid to someone that might be considered “an also ran” even though they just won the final race of the 2017 season.

Another topic of conversation taking place all week long has been the “incident” between Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin last weekend at Phoenix. I have listened to many of the statements and conversations about it and just can’t move on until I put in my two cents.

In usual fashion, (and particularly in this fan’s opinion) Denny Hamlin tried to marginalize his actions by comparing what he did three weekends ago to what Chase did last weekend. To paraphrase, he basically told us Chase would do the same if the situation were reversed which means to this fan that what he did wasn’t wrong, it was just racing the way “everyone is doing it these days.” He was apologetic after the fact (and especially after the negative way the fans reacted to his move) but still tried to pass off his action as one like everyone else was doing.

Well, here’s my opinion of what happened concerning Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin over those two races…

Let me say right up front and being honest as a fan, I was not heartbroken to see Denny Hamlin not make it into the final four. In fact, if he had made it into the Championship round of four, I would not have thought he deserved to be there. As he stated himself, his intention was to make sure that Chase wouldn’t make the turn at Martinsville and that Chase would not be able to win. Denny accomplished that but when the fans turned against him then and afterward, he had to re-evaluate his move. Once again, in my opinion, rather than take the responsibility and blame on himself, he tried to lessen his responsibility for his actions by saying everyone was doing it and Chase would do the same thing given the same circumstances. Well, when something similar did happen last weekend, Hamlin was one of the first to say, “See, I told you so…”

From this fan’s view and strictly in my opinion, had Hamlin not done what he did and the way he did it, there would have been no reason for Chase to race him the way he did at Phoenix. If he would have beaten him fair and square, (and that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t race hard), this fan believes there would have been no reason for payback and the whole situation could have been avoided completely. Oh and by the way, with Denny knowing there might be the possibility of some sort of payback, he could have raced Chase in the Phoenix situation a little differently. He could have backed off when Chase was under him and dropped in behind him, avoiding the wall and wheel contact and race him for the win or at least until Matt Kenseth passed them both at the end.

We all know what happened both weekends and have our own opinions but it would have been nice to see Denny take full responsibility without including others possible actions for a change. As I stated before, in his usual fashion he took a little blame on himself but also tried to blame his action on the action of others as he has in the past, at least that’s my opinion.

Well, I guess that’s enough of that and I should get back to this weekend’s Championship race at Homestead. There isn’t a lot to say that hasn’t already been said in some fashion over the past week about the four still in the hunt for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship. The only thing I can give is my thoughts and opinion of this race and it’s participants.

As I said earlier, the four competing for the Championship will garner most of the attention for the entire race. Still, there are several that could win the race although not the Championship. Some favorites are, Dale Jr., Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney and Matt Kenseth to name a few. Yes, even Denny Hamlin could win as much as I may dislike having to say it and there’s always that seven time Champion, Jimmie Johnson, and I’m sure he would like to end the year with a little redemption over the last few weeks. Even if someone other than the four wins it, it still won’t gain as much attention as which one of the four that actually wins the Championship. Sure, it will go into the books as a win for one of the. “also rans” but that will be about the extent of it.

If (in the usual hoped for fashion) one of the final four actually wins, it would be a grand victory for the one that does. Will it be Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Bush, Kevin Harvick or Brad Keselowski? Yeah, I think it very well could be one of the four but I’m not really sure which of them might pull it off. Martin Truex Jr. is the one everyone mentions as being the favorite but anything can happen in 400 miles even to a favorite. Kyle Bush and Kevin Harvick are the next many have mentioned and Brad Keselowski is most everyone’s “dark horse.”

In this fan’s opinion there are several others than can win the race but I’m not really sure which of the four can. If things go as usual and I pick one, they might be the first ones to have problems and have to leave the race. Still, though I have my doubts, I really think it is going to be between Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick. Does that mean I’ll be surprised if one of the other two wins it? No, but I’ll definitely be watching to see who does. Oh, and by the way. Dale Jr. would like nothing better than to leave his last race in regular competition in NASCAR Cup with a victory at Homestead. Hmmmm… I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, huh?

Five of the remaining eight competitors in the Round of Eight need to win on Sunday afternoon at Phoenix International Raceway to guarantee themselves a spot in the Championship finale at Homestead next weekend. The problem is, only one can win the race and that means four of those five won’t make it. Oh sure, one of them can qualify on points without a win but there is no guarantee one of the five won’t win so moving on to the finale on points is just, well… it’s a hope that may not come to fruition. They’re all going to have to pull out all the stops and go all out to win. That means drivers, crew chiefs and crews – all of them. This race at Phoenix is going to be about as pressure packed for those five drivers and teams as any of the races in the playoffs. The only guarantee is to win or at least gain as many stage points as possible without a win and hope one of the other five doesn’t win.

Nothing like stating the obvious, huh? All of this I know you’ve probably heard many times this week from the various talking heads and venues but this elimination race at PIR is going to be short, quick and to the point. It is a relatively short race and the results are dependent on how fast the five can accumulate points or the victory before it’s too late.

The driver with the greatest chance to move on by points is Brad Keselowski but even he isn’t resting easy on his points so far. He knows just as the other four do that nothing in this playoff elimination race is definite. He has just as much of a chance at moving on to the finale as the others do. Knowing Brad as we do, we know he will do everything he can, along with his crew chief and crew to better his chances during the race. I’m not saying any of that to say he is going to make it but that he does have a great chance considering.

Denny Hamlin could jump into the final four and his chances are high but it depends on the same thing as the rest. Like Brad, he could take all the stage points possible for him to take and finish second in the race and still not move on if one of the other five wins. That’s what will make this one so dramatic and intense, especially as the laps wind down to none. Well, at least from this fan’s view that is.

Ryan Blaney started off the weekend in a very good way since he won the pole and gets the best choice of pit stalls. There is nothing like having the best pit stall when it comes down to crunch time. So not only does he have a fast race car but a good pit stall and all that put together could spell trouble for the other four and him advancing on to the Championship four. Of course there is nothing that says winning the pole and having the best pit stall spells victory. In fact, the only things about winning the pole says is that you had the fastest lap compared to the others and you get the first choice (and best choice) of pit stalls. Beyond that, well… that’s it.

That brings me to the two Hendrick teams still in the hunt. Unfortunately both of them are in a must win situation. From this fan’s view, there may be some other long shot way for them to move on but let’s just keep this in the realm of reality. They both have to win but therein is the rub… only one of them can.

Of the five still able to take the one remaining spot and based on recent performance, Chase Elliott is more likely to than his teammate Jimmie Johnson. It would be very exciting and dramatic if he wins his first race and qualifies for the Championship all at the same time but, from this fan’s view, I just don’t know if that will happen. I do believe he has a better chance than JJ but I’m just not sure the Hendrick teams have the speed. I know of the four Hendrick teams, the #24 has been the most consistent throughout the entire year. Chase has had chance after chance to win and something has always happened to keep him from it, including a little help from my least favorite, Denny Hamlin, (but that’s a whole other story in itself that I really don’t want to go into. Maybe someday but not now.)

I have to admit I would like to see both Chase and Jimmie move on but I know that can’t happen and it could be that neither of them make it. I really would like to see Chase win his first race and have a real chance at winning in Homestead next week. I would also like to see Jimmie Johnson move on to the Championship four and have a chance at doing something that hasn’t been done in NASCAR before and that would be winning his eighth Championship. I would really like to see it but, the way he’s been running lately, I’m not holding my breath.

At any rate, this race at Phoenix International Raceway is going to be the most dramatic and intensely emotional elimination race we’ve seen. I’m not even going to guess what will happen but I will say this. There will be no holds barred and I expect to see all five of the crew chiefs exercising all kinds of different strategies and taking some big risks every chance they get. It could mean the difference between moving on to the Championship Four or being an also ran any way you look at it…

After all the bumping, banging, drama and emotion of last week’s race at Martinsville, everyone is wondering how, and if, the race at Texas Motor Speedway will top the events of the short track excitement generated in usual fashion for short tracks. From this fan’s view, I have to admit it was a race that kept my attention for most of the 500 laps and it was definitely “short track excitement” that kept my attention.

In typical fashion for short track driver mentality, there was no lack of emotion or aggressiveness. With this being the playoffs, it was even more emotional and aggressive for the eight drivers trying to cement their place in the final four at Homestead. With that in mind and as a fan, I can’t help but put in my two cents of some of the “things” that happened there.

The major topic of conversation this week has been what happened between Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliot. In case you missed it, (which I doubt is the case), Denny Hamlin put Chase Elliott into the wall trying to win the race. Well, maybe that is a little bit harsh. Perhaps I should say he, “moved him out of the way and he hit the wall.” At least that’s the way I remember it from an interview right after the race last weekend. In ususal fashion, Denny first placed blame on the fact that everyone is doing it rather than take responsibility for his actions. Later, after the emotions had passed, he did take marginal responsibility but only as far as saying he had never been one that did such a thing but now he had joined those that did and do. Now, at this point in the conversation and a weekend later, he says he didn’t mean to spin him, it wasn’t intentional.

From this fan’s view, and as a former driver, I know that many of us as drivers have done things we later regretted. Personally, I blame it on adrenaline and intense emotion that clouds the thinking and decision-making process, especially in competition. There is a lot of adrenalin flowing while driving competitively in stock cars and, in particular, at the NASCAR Cup level. The importance of making it to the final four and race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship at Homestead is almost beyond explanation, especially to the drivers and teams. Oh, and did I mention it is important to their sponsors as well…?

Whether you are a Denny Hamlin fan or a Chase Elliott fan may or may not shade your opinion of what happened last weekend but it definitely did cause major fan reactions immediately after it happened and all week long. The conversation is carrying over into the race this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway but a lot of the speculation about what could happen likely won’t.

In this fan’s opinion, I don’t think Chase Elliott is going to go out gunning for Denny Hamlin and only looking to spin him into the wall. Of course it is possible he could think about doing the same thing Hamlin did to him if he is behind him and they are going for the lead in the final laps. That is something Denny will have to consider if he is in the lead and sees Chase on his rear bumper in his rearview mirror with the laps dwindling down to one or two. I don’t know what might happen then but at this point, Chase pretty much needs a win to make it into the finale and, well… I guess we’ll just have to see what happens if that scenario plays out. Personally, I don’t think Chase Elliott is the type person to do that but, as history in another series has proven, he is quite capable.

Hamlin and Elliott weren’t the only drivers still in the playoffs that had on-track situations causing heightened emotions. Two that come quickly to mind are Ryan Blaney and Kevin Harvick. The two rubbed fenders and banged bumpers almost all race long at Martinsville and both experienced frustrations with the other. It never rose to the level of Hamlin and Elliott but it could have just as easily. They did have their post-race discussion and both shared their frustrations with the other. I don’t think last weekend’s experience will carry over to this weekend’s race but this is the playoffs and it is NASCAR – so who knows.

As it stands going into the race at Texas Motor Speedway, there are only two races left to make it into the final four and there are seven drivers determined to make it there. Only one person has no pressure on him and that is Kyle Bush. He won at Martinsville and he is guaranteed to be in the finale at Homestead because of that win. As for the others, well, the pressure is on them until they either have enough points to be locked in or win one of the next two races and lock themselves in. The intensity, emotion and pressure is on all seven of them and their teams to perform at Texas and that is going to make this weekend and next very intense and emotional for all of them. I don’t know how you feel about it but it should be a very interesting two weekends, don’t you think…?

Martinsville is the kickoff race for the “Round of Eight” as the remaining teams compete for the opportunity to advance to the Championship race at Homestead. As was proven last weekend, there is no guarantee for any of them at this point. The only thing that can give them a definite opportunity to move on to the finale is to win one of the next three races in this round. The problem with that is there is another thing that offers no guarantee for them to move on and that is there are thirty-two other cars running in these next three races that could possibly win a race and take away the opportunity for them to be guaranteed a spot in the final four.

Okay, maybe that is an over statement and even an oversimplification of the possibilities facing the eight remaining competitors for the 2017 Championship, but the reality is nothing is definite without a win in the next three races. Probably the one driver that could make it without a win is Martin Truex Jr. simply because he has been racking up the extra points every week. That’s not to say he is a definite but his chances are better than some still in the remaining eight. Even with three available chances for advancing with a win, and considering three of the remaining eight could win a race to advance, one of the eight will still advance by points. That makes for a very interesting situation as the next three races get put in the books.

The pressure is on all of them to perform over the next three races and to take as many stage points as possible in every race to counteract any possible bad finish in one of them. From this fan’s view there are now more possibilities for someone other than the remaining eight to win any one of the next three races. Some very good cars were eliminated from the competition for the Championship because of the “Big One” at Kansas last weekend along with Kyle Larson’s engine failure. I’m not saying that none of the eight will win one of the next three races but I do offer it up as a possibility which could make everything much more intense and dramatic over these next three races.

This weekend will be slightly different than the usual weekend at Martinsville. Both qualifying and the race will take place on the same day and that is not only different but interesting. As a fan, I wonder if NASCAR is trying things to see how they might work out in future races at different tracks and how this could change the way races are put on in the future. I don’t mind if they do and it could prove to be a change that will make things more interesting but I am not sure what it is all about. Sure, I know what they say their reasoning is but I also know NASCAR doesn’t do anything for no reason. No matter what, it will still make for an interesting change to the usual and I like that.

Seeing that the Martinsville track is the oldest track still on the present circuit, this fan wonders what can be said about the track that hasn’t been said numerous times in the past. We already know it is a challenging flat track that the drivers seem to have a love/hate relationship with it but what, if anything, new can be said about it. Personally, I don’t have anything but I do keep my ears open for things like that. After all, it is considered a short track and it is full of stuff that happens at short track races on a regular basis.

That is probably one of the things about it that makes it so interesting. It is a short track and things happen at short tracks that generally don’t happen at larger, faster tracks. All of them add up to emotional intensity that is more likely expressed visibly (and sometimes forcefully) than at other tracks. In other words, payback can come quickly and sometimes harshly, simply because of the height of emotions involved at a short track. It has happened before and it will happen again. Unfortunately, the ones with the most to lose when those emotions rear their head are the ones still competing for the Championship. Their hope is to keep their emotions in check and hope they don’t get caught up in someone else’s emotional response. Like it or not and whether or not it is one of the eight or others, it can and does happen.

When it comes to Martinsville, this fan doesn’t pay too much attention to which of the drivers has the fastest laps in practice. Since the pit selection was set from last week’s qualifying, qualifying only serves to set the lineup for the start of the race. After that, well… it is just about anyone’s guess as to how things will go. Will it be a good day or a bad one for the eight still in competition for the 2017 Championship remains as the only question that won’t be answered until this one is over and, of course… that’s why we will be watching it to the final lap and the drop of that black and white checkered flag…

Ahhhh, Kansas… Kansas Speedway that is. A place that will definitely spell elimination for four drivers presently still in the playoffs and advancement for the other six still not qualified for the next round of three races. That would be the “Round of Eight” for those that may not be following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as closely as others. That means the final race for the Championship is coming fast and time is running out for those that hope to make it to the final four at Homestead in November.

From this fan’s view, Martin Truex Jr. looks to have an advantage over the rest of the field and his performance has been spectacular for most of the 2017 season. If I were to call the Cup series champion before the final race, I would certainly put Truex Jr. at the top of that list. After all, he has had top notch performance at the mile and a half tracks this season and he did win the pole for the Hollywood Casino 400 on Sunday afternoon.

As an added bonus, he gets first pick for pit stalls for next week’s race at Martinsville. As has been made very clear to us this weekend, the teams will still qualify next weekend at Martinsville but the pit selections will be based on the way they qualified this weekend. That is definitely an interesting twist to things but just tends to make things a bit more interesting. The number one pit stall at Martinsville is the most treasured one for that track and it could definitely give Truex Jr. an advantage next weekend whether he qualifies well or not. That could set him up for advancing to the race at Homestead for the Championship which, at least from this fan’s view, he is already one of the most likely candidates to be competing for the Monster energy NASCAR Cup Championship and it could be the first Championship of his career.

Unfortunately, I know fortunes can turn on a dime in NASCAR Cup racing and it would be a little premature for me to choose him as the Champion at this point. Still, he is a top choice for being in the final four and running for the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

The biggest thing about this weekend’s race at the Kansas Speedway it that it is the second elimination race of the 2017 playoffs. You can bet the focus during most of the race will be on the ones already below the cut line and those that could fall below the cut line. Only one can win and that could mean the worst of the top twelve could make it to the next “Round of Eight” by winning and the rest will have to have a really good day or they will be gone from the playoffs by Sunday evening.

Last weekend’s race at Talladega completely changed the alignment in the Round of Twelve and did put more pressure all of the ten teams not yet qualified for moving on to the next round to outperform their competitors. No matter how you look at it, this is going to be an intense race and desperation could cause some very interesting moves and strategies. The only two without pressure to perform this weekend would be Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski since both of them have won races in the last two weekends. That doesn’t mean much to the ten that need to be in the top eight by the end of the Hollywood Casino 400 but it does matter that they want to win and guarantee themselves a spot in the Round of Eight. As for the ones that don’t win, well… it is going to be one of the most stressful races so far this season and none of them can afford to have a bad day.

Once again, it appears the Hendrick Chevys are struggling to find speed if only qualifying is considered as a judgement of their performance. This is the first year in a while that this fan remembers them looking the way they look – and they do look like they are struggling – at least from this fan’s view. At least Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson were close to making it into the final round of qualifying but instead, they could only muster thirteenth and fifteenth between them. Of course after Ryan Blaney failed post qualifying inspection, they moved up a place to twelfth and fourteenth. That may help a little, but they both need to have a really, really good day on Sunday, especially Jimmie Johnson.

So it comes down to this; there are some that almost have no chance of advancing to the next round unless they win. Since only one of the 40 entries can win, that doesn’t offer much hope to those hoping to take one of the six spots remaining to move on to the next round. What it looks like form this fan’s view is that all of the ten need to finish at or very near to the front and let the cards fall as they may. Stage points are very important for this one and for some, winning and/or scoring a lot of points in the stages is the only hope they have to advance to the Round of Eight…

There’s just something about the Talladega Super Speedway… Well, actually there are a lot of somethings about it and it does tend to get mixed emotions from fans and drivers alike. If you ask the fans they give you an answer based on what they like to see happen and watch. If you ask the drivers… well… you’re going to get mixed comments and emotions there too.

From this fan’s view, I love restrictor plate racing for a lot of reasons. One of the biggest is the way it seems to keep the cars in a pack (or at least one to three packs) and that makes for real intense racing in my book. When you have that number of cars traveling at speeds approaching 200 mph, running bumper to bumper and door handle to door handle possibly up to three or four wide, there is always the increased element of intensity and emotion that can be felt all the way into the stands and beyond. Unless they break off and run for an extended period of time single file, there is really nothing like it to this fan. Those times of single file racing can be bearable as long as they’re not drawn out over a long period of laps. When and if that happens, well, let’s just say it’s time to take a short break and pick up the race a little later.

If you’ve been following me for any period of time, you already know I used to race stock cars at our local tracks and you know what I think of close racing. The only time I can truly say I liked races where one or two drivers leave all the rest in the dust is when I was the one (or one of the two or maybe three) that was leaving them behind. Some of my fondest memories of my racing days were those times when the lineup was in such a way that all we could do for lap after lap was run bumper to bumper, door handle to door handle two or three wide.

There is just something about how it feels to race like that. Of course we could have moved the ones in front of us out of the way but often we chose to push them, probably faster than they had ever comfortably gone. Sometimes we would run entire heat races and hardly change places from the way we lined up. It was, to say the least, very exhilarating for us, the drivers, and the fans to watch.

I don’t know, maybe that’s one of the reasons I like restrictor plate racing at both Daytona and Talladega. Although my experience was quite different and at a much reduced speed, I can relate to what the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup drivers experience – well at least a little, depending on how you look at it. With the addition of the stages (and of course those lower downforce packages I keep mentioning) the Super Speedway races have become even a little more intense than they were before.

There are a lot of things that can and do happen in restrictor plate races and one of those is the “Big One.” Sometimes there is more than one “Big One” and they can happen at any time. All it takes is a driver miscalculation, an overreaction to turbulence or someone else’s miscalculation or an equipment failure like a blown tire or something equivalent.
Fans generally don’t mind the “Big One” because it is part of the action they like to see. As long as no one gets hurt, fans like a good wreck and on a Super Speedway one wreck can take out up to half the field or more.

Drivers, crews and owners generally don’t like the “Big One” because it generally costs them big time. For a driver, the cost is usually lost points and if they’re in the playoffs that cost can be great. For the owners it is usually expensive and the cost is at least one car and maybe more if they own a multi car team. When you look at it that way, it can up to a lot of dollars fast.

Since this is the second race in the round of twelve, Talladega could be bad news for any one or all but one of those in the round of twelve hoping to move on to the round of eight. The only driver that really has no pressure on him is Martin Truex Jr. He is already qualified for the round of eight since he won last weekend. The other eleven need to have a good strong finish or win. If they have problems or get caught up in a “Big One” their chances for moving on could be greatly influenced in a negative way.

Of the ones still hoping to move on to the round of eight, some of them could totally change from being in to being out and needing to win next week depending on what happens on Sunday afternoon at Talladega. One of the biggest problems for those still in the playoffs is that their playoff future can be totally affected by what happens to them at Talladega. If they come away unscathed with a good finish or with a win, they will likely have a good shot at moving on. If not, well… I guess you know the answer to that one, huh?

The round of twelve begins at Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend. After last week’s race four were eliminated from competing for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship and that leaves twelve competing for a spot to move on to the round of eight after the next three races. So far the most interesting race of the three for the first round of sixteen was last weekend and, in this fan’s opinion, that was only because four of the sixteen were being eliminated from moving on to this next round.

Say what you will but from this fan’s view, the racing has been mostly lack luster this season and during this “playoff” part of it. There has just been something missing and I’m just not exactly sure what it is. Maybe as the races begin winding down to the finale at Homestead things will pick up but so far it has only been marginally interesting.

Now admittedly, I do have favorites even though I try to be neutral and fair when it comes to all of the teams competing. I do realize my bias does raise its head at times and there are absolutely those that I would rather not see win or even finish near the front. Although I have those opinions, I do try to keep them in check the best I can. This year in particular I think it has been harder to do than in past years. Maybe it’s because I’m older and the drivers I used to follow, observe or even obviously or secretly root for have either retired, are retiring or have left the scene all together. I keep watching but it’s just not the same… well at least not yet.

As I have mentioned in recent weeks, I do like the addition of the stage racing and what it has done to make the drivers press the envelope more to gain those precious available points. I also like the lower down force changes which have made the cars a little bit more unruly and appear to make the drivers and crews work a bit harder to get as much out of their cars as possible.

Anything NASCAR does to improve the competition or make for closer racing usually has a downside too. Like any other year, it does seem like one or more of the teams find an advantage over the rest and the Toyotas, especially the Joe Gibbs and JGR associated teams, have that advantage over the others for the present. Not that I don’t appreciate how Martin Truex Jr. has performed this year but he just isn’t one of my favorites. However, I cannot and will not try to argue against what he has accomplished this season. He and his team have done a great job this season and I congratulate them on their accomplishments. He very well could be the next Monster energy NASCAR Cup Champion.

Kyle Bush is another of the JGR camp that has been impressive. He has almost been the only competition Truex Jr. has had recently and he is one I expect will be in the final four and it could be between him and Truex Jr. for the championship in that final race for 2017. I am by no means saying it is a lock for either of them but for the present they do look strong. One has to wonder what it could be like if the final four turn out to be from the JGR camp. That’s definitely not what I would like to see but it is a definite possibility at this point. I guess we’ll see about that.
This year has probably been more of a disappointment to Dale Jr. than we as fans of NASCAR and Dale Jr. will ever know. It is my opinion that he would have liked to perform much better than he has in this his final year in NASCAR competitively. If there is a dark horse for this race at Charlotte, I would have to pick Dale Jr. It won’t get him into the final but it would definitely make a very large number of people very happy if he does win.

With two of the other JGR teams sitting on the front row for the start of this one, I would have to say there is the possibility either Denny Hamlin or Matt Kenseth could walk away with the trophy when this one is done. I’m not saying that will happen but it could and that would make the rest of this round of three races all the more interesting.

Just can’t walk away from this without mentioning Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott. All three of them are ones to watch for winning this one and I expect they will be in the conversation when it comes down to crunch time.

Wow, now that I think about it, the possible top ten for this one is really beginning to fill up with the choices I’ve made so far and any one of them, or a couple of others, could pull off the victory when they finally get to run this one (whether the rains come early or late.) I guess picking one of the ones I’ve mentioned to win is what I should do but the problem is, I just don’t which one of those mentioned or unmentioned will actually do it…

First, let’s just mention what every NASCAR fan already knows. Of course you know that would be when this race at Dover is over, four drivers will be eliminated from the playoff picture. That in itself is no big deal for many, (unless you are one the four drivers eliminated when it’s done), but it should prove to make this race a little more intense than it might have been in a normal circumstance. There are four drivers that almost have to win to still be in or their hopes for a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Championship in 2017 are done.

For some reason this season, I’m just not sold on the new playoff format. Maybe it’s just because I’ve had a lot going on in the last month and a half with flooding and Hurricane Irma and haven’t been able to play as close attention as I normally would or, maybe I’m just not sold on it yet.

I do admit some of the changes NASCAR made this year have proved to be interesting and, although I was admittedly non-committal for a short period of time, I do like the addition of the stages to the races. It appears it has caused the racing to be more intense throughout a whole race but I’m just not sure about this playoff situation yet. So far it has been uneventful, at least from this fan’s view, or maybe it is because the first two races have been fairly dominated by two drivers namely, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Bush. For some reason it just seems they have a bit of an advantage over the rest of the field, especially those in the playoffs. Honestly, so far I have seen more drama coming from the descriptions of the talking heads (or the commentators, depending on your preference) than I have from the actual racing. I realize they try to make it interesting, but really, their reactions are much more excited and describe something more exciting than what is actually going on.

I don’t know, maybe I’ve just gotten bored this season or maybe I’ve just had too much going on to be as attentive as I normally would be by this time in the season. I guess it could be that I’m just not as big a fan of those that have been dominating the races lately as I am of others or maybe it is because I’m just not that interested. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. I am still a big NASCAR fan but this season just hasn’t been all that interesting to me for whatever reason. Doesn’t mean I haven’t watched every week and it doesn’t mean I haven’t paid attention to my favorite sport, there just seems to have been something missing and I really don’t have any other explanation than that.

Okay, I think I’m through with my little rant here and, just maybe, the rest of the playoffs will be more exciting and dramatic than they have been so far. I’m not really complaining, (even though I am sure it sounds like I am), but I am offering something from this fan’s view that others are feeling as well. I hear many talk about it week in and week out and also hear the reports of how attendance is down and the stands aren’t as full as they have been in the past. I have an opinion on that too but that’s for a whole other post that I don’t want to go into right now. Far be it from me to try and educate the NASCAR ruling body but somebody has to say it and it just may be me in the near future (or when the season is over and I give my opinion and assessment of the 2017 season.)

Dover is a track that is relatively hard to pass on and track position and pit stops have a large impact on how the day may play out for those trying to stay in the playoffs. Four of the drivers are basically assured of making it into the next round. Eight of the remaining twelve are fairly secure, (barring a disastrous day at Dover), but four of those twelve will be gone when the day is done. The ones on the cusp of being done are presently the lowest ones in points so far.

Kasey Kahne and Kurt Bush almost have to win to continue on to the round of twelve. Now I could go on and mention all of the possibilities in front of all of the drivers but that would be pointless at this point. There are a lot of possibilities and one of them is which of the drivers in the field wins this race. There is a lot of room for spoilers to take the win and then everything amongst the 16 is going to be all about points and four of them will definitely be eliminated according to points.

This will likely be one of the most dramatic races so far in the playoffs and could be one of the most intense and dramatic for the entire year. Because this one is an elimination race, there will be emotion, drama and intensity and that will make for an interesting day. The focus will likely be more on the four likely to be eliminated and less on which one of the field wins… well… that is unless one of the most likely to be eliminated wins and totally changes the playoff landscape…